Bake Quality
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Impact of Samples and Lightmap Size on Quality:
The number of samples and the size of the lightmap directly influence the clarity and accuracy of the baked light. Higher samples and larger lightmaps generally produce better results but will increase bake time. Increasing lightmap size will affect loading time and memory consumption potentially preventing low-end devices from opening a scene.
Lightmap size:
Sample count:
Denoising
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Default Denoiser vs. AI Denoiser:
The default denoiser uses our own algorithms to reduce noise, while the AI denoiser (Open Image Denoise) leverages machine learning for potentially faster and more accurate results in some scenarios, usually when using low sample count.
Baking vs. Post-Processing
- Baking: It's the act of rendering the lightmap onto objects. This process also applies post-processing effects.
- Post-Processing: This step re-applies post-processing filters to the baked lightmap without the need to bake again.
Error Handling
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Bake Failed - Non-Zero Error Status:
If you encounter this error, please send a problem report via the Shapespark desktop application's Help & supporttab. The report will include application logs that can help identify the issue.
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Bake Failed - UV Projection Error:
This error indicates that the scene exceeds the allowed number of lightmaps set by the Max lightmap setting in the Bake tab. To resolve, increase the Max lightmap value.
Achieving a Clean Bake
If you're facing issues like noise, splotches, stains:
- Ensure lights aren't too close to objects, as this can cause strong reflections and increase noise.
- Point lights will be more suitable than spot lights in dark areas.
- Add more light sources in areas with splotches.
- Utilize ambient lighting to add more fill light.
- Avoid using excessively bright emissive materials.
- Increase the number of samples.
- Increase lightmap resolution.
Addressing Bake Artifacts
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Dark Blotches in Corners/Seams:
These can occur when a lightmap pixel spans both visible and occluded parts of a surface. To mitigate, increase the Flood dark limit to a range of 0.04 - 0.08 and run Post-Process.
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Light leaks:
The light leaks may be caused by light sources placed on the object surface, which makes them emit light in both direction of the surface (including “inside” the surface).
Bake vs. Preview differences
Preview is A quick render that allows you to see a rough representation of the final output without committing to a full bake, however there might minor differences when creating preview image:
- Material reflectiveness is not taken into account.
- Water and Grass material will be rendered without noise map and height map.
- Some extensions can affect objects visibility (for example meshes utilised by switch extension will be hidden).
- Object modifiers such as Y to camera value (billboard rotation) and Rotation value will not be included.
- Denoising is not enabled.
Optimizing Bake Time
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Switch to GPU:
Using a GPU instead of a CPU can significantly reduce bake times. Consider checking benchmarks for performance comparisons.
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Optix vs. CUDA:
Optix can offer faster rendering times compared to CUDA.
Multi-GPU Baking
- Using multiple GPUs can significantly reduce bake times. For optimal results, it's recommended to use GPUs of similar performance.
Additional Tips
- Lighting: Properly placed lights can make a significant difference in the final output. Avoid overlapping or conflicting light sources.
- Updates: Always ensure your software and drivers are up-to-date to benefit from the latest optimizations and bug fixes.